CNN news 2008-03-19 加文本

cnn 2008-03-19


Download Audio

Hello, I am Melissa Long here at the cnn Center in Atlanta with some of the stories that are making news on this Tuesday.

Barack Obama took the issue of race head-on today in a speech in Philadelphia, after he was criticized when his ex-pastor’s incendiary racial remarks surfaced on YouTube. He said that the pastor’s remarks were wrong and divisive.
 

Federal Reserve is expected to slash interest rates this afternoon in an effort to relieve the US credit crunch. Wall Street opened up on the upside today in anticipation of a cut as high as three quarters of a percentage point.

The Detroit City Council has asked Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to resign. The Council made the decision on a 7-1 vote this afternoon. They can’t force him to resign, so this move is seen more as a no-confidence vote. Kilpatrick is under investigation for lying under oath, along with his former chief of staff about having a romantic affair. He’s also been criticized for using racially charged language during a recent speech. Kilpatrick’s current chief of staff says the Mayor has no intention of stepping down.

Delta Airlines is offering voluntary buyouts to nearly 30,000 employees. The carrier made the announcement late this morning. The plan affects more than half of Delta’s workforce. The company also says it plans to cut 5% of its domestic capacity. Delta says the cutbacks and the buyout offer are designed to help it deal with rising fuel costs.(www.hXen.com)

For the first time in 216 years, the Supreme Court hears a case centred on the meaning of the Second Amendment phrase "the right to keep and bear arms." The issue is whether the Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns, or whether the right is tied to service in a state militia. A Washington man who wants to keep handguns at his home for protection challenged the District of Columbia’s 32-year-old ban as a violation of his constitutional rights. A federal appeals court ruled the city can’t ban handguns.

Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella has died at the age of 54, no details about the circumstances right now. He is best-known for his 1996 film “The English Patient” as well as “Cold Mountain” and "The Talented Mr. Ripley".

Those are some of the headlines making news on this Tuesday afternoon. Do stay with cnn for more on these stories or other news of the day.(www.hxen.net)

-------------------------------------------

Quote"low confidence" 新闻中的"confidence"系指信息的来源，范围和质量的评估等级，定为“high,morderate or low"三级，详情参见2007年10月31日美国国家情报局向总统和总统安全顾问所提交的定期报告NIE:National Intelligence Estimate），本次报告名称是"Iran Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities,November,2007),对其中"Confidence"有专门定义.